9/03/08 UPDATE:
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    [Tampa, FL 7/24/04] The current enemies of the industrialized nations mostly recruit their soldiers from among the disenfranchised populations of largely non-industrialized nations. Some of their propaganda charges that Western, industrialized nations use disproportionate amounts of natural resources and the cheaper labor of the needy to produce their wealth which is in turn used to produce weapons to proliferate their policies, goods, services and politics. In the process, the biosphere (which all humans must share) is unfairly being exploited. These criteria (among others) are spun to hang the title of “The Great Satan” on the western industrialized nations. Perhaps the larger crime is that the industrialized nations are basically loading bullets into the weapons of their sworn enemies by buying their oil which also has the effect of destroying the environment. It's a lose-lose situation for the U.S. If Big Oil & our government were really smart they'd be investing all the money we spend on Arabian oil into sustainable / renewable energy technology and selling that technology to the world. (A win-win situation).

   Environmental scientists & environmental groups have often cited industry’s harmful effects on the biosphere and their unbalanced approach to harvesting the natural resource base. The Union of Concerned Scientists has repeatedly cited the harmful effects of unregulated (self regulated) industries.

    Perhaps the way to best combat enemies that use these issues a to justify terrorism is for the industrialized nations to heed the empirical data and lead the way by advancing existing renewable energy technologies and investing in the R & D of sustainable energy technologies. In this way we may no longer harm ourselves exponentially (by both destroying the resource base that gives us wealth while simultaneously funding terrorism).
Consumers, it's time for you to take your power back. Find and invest in the companies moving in these directions. In the April 2003 issue of Wired magazine; writers Peter Schwartz & Doug Randall proposed a plan for an Apollo type mission to transform the U.S. to a hydrogen-based economy by 20013. It seems that what is needed is the leadership to implement such a plan and the investment to bring it to fruition. I'm drafting a petition to send to congress & the White House to propose they put such a plan into action.

   (You can see that petition and sign it by clicing the following link:

Petition for a National Sustainable Energy Infrastructure

   History shows that populations tend to respect leaders who rule through inspiration and rebel against those who enforce their will through intimidation. It is arguable that the U.S. and other industrialized nations currently have the mental and economic capital to support our way of life in a way that is less demanding on the health of the biosphere. The need is for leadership to implement new design, and infrastructure. Consumers need to support the businesses that seek to advance and utilize sustainable technologies. Currently, it appears the leadership may have to come from consumers.If you don't buy products that are harmful to our national security and environment (and subsequently harmful to YOU), then they won't be manufactured. It's a supply & demand economy. Consumers truly do have the power to create this change. It is our responsibility.

   The last true vistage of democracy may be divested in consumers who can force these changes within the free market economy.

   As the industrialized nations continue to output disproportionate amounts of harmful carbon dioxide/carbon monoxide emissions, chemical biproducts and radioactive waste, the other fact to confront is that ofossil fuels are being depleted and will soon be no more (OR they'll kill us before they run out either by way of environmental devastation or World War Three.

continued, top of next column...

    Nuclear power you say? Nuclear is nuts because it leaves indisposable waste that is poisonous for millions of years.We can't even agree on what to do with the stockpiles of nuclear waste we have now while our government considers financing new PRIVATELY OWNED nuclear power plants that will be built with YOUR tax dollars.

  Furthermore, many geologists think the end of oil is sooner than we thought. Do a web search on the "peak oil theory if you want to scare yourself some more. Is there any light at the end of the many tunnels we face in our age? Perhaps.There are several major corporations, many of which have been among the biggest polluters on the planet, who realize the energy and environmental challenges of this era and are adapting policies and procedures to make the change to renewable and sustainable energy systems and thereby protect their future success.

  See my article on General Electric for an example:

Green Change or Hot Wind at GE?

    The "Investment" area of Conscious Consumers will seek to find out about these companies, investigate their practices, and provide information resources for our readers to make ethical as well as financially promising decisions on where to place their financial assets. We will also provide information on socially responsible mutual fund and investment firms and links to on-line trading sites where investors can research and invest in companies on their own. I hope our you will feed information back to me to let me know about companies moving in these directions or correct me ifyou find any of the information we provide to be in error or in need of update.

    In light of the recent problems in the U.S. election system and the antiquated Electoral College, perhaps the last aspect of life in which "We the people" can truly have influence is in what we do with our money.

  Ask yourself a few questions. Is your money supporting a company that creates pollution? Is your money being used by a company that adds to the depletion of natural resources without replenishing or accounting for them? Is your money in a company that produces disproportionate amounts of waste in the creation of their products? (If your money is in a company that makes automobiles with internal combustion engines and steel bodies, you should answer yes to all of these questions). Are you putting your money in companies that produce energy from renewable resources or have a progressive energy or natural resource accounting policy? Can you sleep comfortably after answering these questions honestly (sans pharmaceuticals)?

  Do your consumption habits make you a virtual weapon of mass destruction? Do you support companies that are making the United States vulnerable to enemy attack? Does what you buy line the pockets of nations who are hostile to America? If you filled your car with gasoline today the answer to that question is yes. If your money didn't go to Arab nations it may have gone to Chavez in Venezuela (Citgo is a Venezuelan company). If you shopped at Wal-Mart part of your money most likely went to China (where the military & manufacturing industries are pretty much the same entity.. So right there you just supported a Communist empire with a horrible human rights and environmental record.

   As multi-national corporations have become more & more deregulated while simultaneously being given more access in Washington both the strength and sovereignty of The U.S. has been compromised. Every empire in history has fallen at the peak of their military and financial power; why should The United States be any different? I'm asking you for an answer. Do a comparative study of the fall of the Roman, Greek, British, French & German empires and you will see how much we presently have in common with them at the time of their fall.

9/03/08 UPDATE:
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